I quite enjoyed the first installment in the Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness series, my only beef being that it wasn't long enough (but good episodic content never feels long enough). PSN owners finally can get their hands on Episode One tomorrow, but for Xbox Live and PC/Mac/Linux users, we have an even better surprise coming: Episode Two will be available this October 29th, just in time for Halloween!

The music of Canadian rock band The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets will be featured in this episode, who you may remember from their past performance at this year's Penny Arcade Expo. It seems you will also be able to select difficulty settings in this chapter, allowing for a more challenging playthrough if you so desire.

The game will be $14.95 for PC, Mac and Linux, and 1200 points for Xbox Live Arcade; it offers from 6-10 hours of gameplay. I can't wait to continue the story -- this title has been one of my favorite downloadables so far this year. New Arcadia, here I come!

LAUNCH DATE SET FOR EPISODE TWO OF PENNY ARCADE GAME

The Comedic RPG-Adventure Romp Turns Spooky In Time for Halloween

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Oct. 22, 2008 - Grab your gardening tool and watch out for giant spiders, out-of-control asylum patients and wacko sanitarium administrators! Hothead Games announced today that Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two will be available via Xbox LIVE® Arcade and via the Greenhouse digital distribution platform (www.playgreenhouse.com) for Windows®, Mac® and Linux® next Wednesday, October 29.

The madcap Penny Arcade experience continues in Episode Two of the RPG-Adventure romp! Rejoin Gabe and Tycho and go crazy in a whole new episode with more puzzles, areas to explore and levels to gain, all while moving ever closer to solving the sinister mystery hidden deep in the heart of New Arcadia. Players can jump right in with a fresh character and new customization options or carry over their looks and stats from Episode One.Plus, new difficulty settings allow gamers to play it safe or go insane, battling bigger and badder enemies than ever before.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two will also boast music from The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets, a Canadian rock band dedicated to promoting the literature of H. P. Lovecraft and a recent performer at the 2008 Penny Arcade Expo gaming festival. The song, entitled "Some Things Man Was Not Meant To Know," will enhance the game's closing credits.

"This game is all about the strange and insane world of New Arcadia and the Penny Arcade-style humor to be found in it," said Hothead CEO Vlad Ceraldi. "With the cool gameplay additions we've made, including longer gameplay, completion tracking and difficulty settings; extra Lovecraftian overtones in the world and music; and the perfect time of the year, everything just came together."

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, Episode Two is expected to offer players six to ten hours of gameplay, and is priced at $14.95 for the Windows, Mac, and Linux versions on Greenhouse and at 1200 Microsoft points via Xbox LIVE® Arcade. The game has been rated "M" for Mature by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for all platforms.

About Hothead Games: Hothead Games is an independent game developer and publisher based in Vancouver, Canada. The company is committed to creating top quality games for the experienced gamer. Hothead is best known for its RPG-adventure game series, On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness, based on the widely popular Penny Arcade online comic strip. Hothead self-publishes its titles with a focus on offering accessible game play and episodic content through digital distribution. Visit www.hotheadgames.com for more information.

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